Didn’t get this up in time for Memorial Day festivities (I was busy schlepping 4 kids up the California coast – all in the name of FUN), but it’s a great one for any summer picnic or potluck.

Personally, I don’t do green tomatoes that often.  Just the name, conjures up images of Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy.  You can try to deny it, but you know exactly what I’m talking about.  The honeydew is a little bit of a stretch for me too.  I’m a definite cantaloupe gal.  Cantaloupe is my go-to summer dinner starter.  I love serving it straight up, with a little prosciutto wrapped around it for a punch of class, and with pearl mozzarella and fresh mint for a little salad combo.  Those are just a few of the players in my routine cantaloupe line-up.  But honeydew rarely catches my attention.  So the green tomato honeydew combo was a duo of underdogs in my book.

Finding good green tomatoes may be the hardest part of this recipe.  The rest of it comes together in a snap.  But the flavors are such a unique blend that it comes off tasting a lot more complicated than it really is.

I started by dicing a little jalapeno.  Yes, it will have a kick, but just the right amount , because the heat is backed down by the sweetness of the melon.

Then I toasted up some cumin just until it started to smell.  I sat that aside and,  in the same pan, toasted some raw pumpkin seeds until they started to pop.  I moved the pumpkin seeds to a small bowl and tossed them with a bit of olive oil.

To make the dressing for this little number, I whisked together the toasted cumin, some white vinegar, the diced jalapeno, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

I cut up my green tomatoes (I added in a few red guys as well since I had trouble finding good green ones) and the honeydew melon.

I tossed the tomatoes and honeydew with some cilantro leaves and the dressing, and then sprinkled with the toasted pumpkin seeds.  There was some major nose turning upping going on around the table when I served this.  Especially from the Big One, of all people.    But in the end everyone enjoyed it.

I actually like the color contrast that the red tomatoes give it.  I think I will stick with that variation for future preparations.  So move over cantaloupe.   Honeydew is encroaching on your status as summer melon of choice.

Full recipe: Honeydew & Green Tomato Salad

So what’s your favorite summer salad melon?  Vote below and let me know.